


Jar of Hearts

by tchele



Category: NCIS
Genre: 16x13 post “She”, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-12
Updated: 2019-02-12
Packaged: 2019-10-27 08:01:20
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,114
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17762888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tchele/pseuds/tchele
Summary: Post 16x13 “She” no major spoilers for the episode.When Nick puts a jar of lake water on his desk Ellie notices





	Jar of Hearts

Nick Torres wasn’t known for being attached to his desk. He was actually quite known for avoiding his desk as much as possible. Because of this aversion his desk was the barest of the entire team. He had a framed photograph of his younger self that had been on his desk since he began occupying it but otherwise he generally had a clear workstation.

So when Ellie came in the Monday after Kasie’s “Random Day” gifts had been distributed and saw her gift had replaced the photograph she immediately was curious. However she and Nick hadn’t had the easiest relationship lately so she left it alone until one night when Gibbs was off in Jacks office and McGee had already left.

“Hey Nick? Can I ask you a question?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah.” Nick answered. “What’s up?”

“Why do you have a jar of water on you desk? And where is you framed photo that’s been on your desk forever?” Ellie asked as she crossed the bullpen and sat on the edge of his desk.

“Well, um, it’s the jar Kasie gave me. I figured I should do something with it.” Nick answered as he fidgeted with the jar.

“I get that Nick, but why water? Why not staples or paper clips or something useful? Or candy?” Ellie asked. “Or do I need to worry you are going to start building a boat in your basement and the water is to remind you of the open sea?.”

“I don’t even have a basement, so no worries.” Nick teased.

“Nick. Why a jar of water? I know it has to mean something.” Ellie prompted.

“Bishop, I can’t have this conversation right now.” Nick replied. “Please B, not here.”

“Ok, you’re scaring me Nick. When I asked I didn’t expect it to be a huge thing. Forget I asked.” Ellie said as she hopped off his desk.

“Ellie...Wait. Please.” Nick asked as he grabbed her wrist. “Not here. I will talk to you, just I can’t do it here. The big orange room has ears. Please.”

“Ok. Are you ready to get out of here?” Ellie asked.

“Yeah. You hungry?” Nick asked.

“I could eat, but you better not be trying to distract me.” Ellie answered.

“How about we go to my place and order in?” Nick suggested. “And I promise we will talk.”

“O-kay. I will see you there.” Ellie replied, still uncertain of what was going on.

Ellie went to her car and drove to Nick’s. As she sat in her car waiting for him to arrive she wondered just what was going on with him. She wasn’t sure what she expected from him when she asked him about the jar, but it wasn’t this. Things hadn’t been exactly normal between them since the whole Boyd debacle, but she thought they were past most of the awkwardness. Maybe she was wrong. She was beginning to wonder if Nick had chickened out when we saw his headlights. He pulled into his garage and she pulled her car in behind his and followed him into his apartment.

Ellie hadn’t been at Nick’s apartment very often, her place was a bit closer to work and bigger so when they hung out in one of their places it was usually hers. He ushered her over to his sofa and offered her a drink. 

“Am I going to need a drink for this conversation?” Ellie teased.

“I don’t know if you do, but I know I do.” Nick replied as he grabbed two beers from the fridge.

“Ok Nick. What’s going on? Cause you are seriously scaring me right now. Where’s my cocky, sarcastic, witty partner?” Ellie asked as Nick went to his bedroom.

“I’ve only been in love once before.” Nick began as he came back into the room with a photo album. “Her name was Sofia and I was sure she was the love of my life. She was my best friend from when we were five. Inseparable our whole childhoods. Then one day I looked across the cafeteria and I just knew that I loved her and I was going to marry her, but one day in Senior Year everything changed. She she was sick, cancer. She fought so hard. She tried everything and even when the treatments didn’t work she was always so sure she was going to beat it and I believed her.”

Nick flipped to the last page of the photo album to the last photos taken of Sofia. Ellie immediately recognized that the photo had been taken the same day as the photo of Nick that had always been on his desk.

“These are the last photos I have of her. She took the photo that was on my desk that day and I kept it on my desk to remember that day, and the person I was then.” Nick confessed. “To remember her.”

“Ok.” Ellie replied, confusion evident on her face.

Nick took a long drink before he continued. “When Kasie gave me the jar I was annoyed. Everyone else got such cool thoughtful gifts and I got an empty jar, but then I talked to her and she said everybody needed an empty jar and to put something in it I didn’t want to lose.” 

“And you put water in it?” Ellie asked.

“I put lake water in it, to remind me that life is short, especially with our jobs.” Nick answered. “And that I don’t want to lose you.”

“I’m not going anywhere Nick. I’m glad you guys showed up when you did so that Hill didn’t get away, but I was fine.” Ellie replied. “Even if I had needed help, you’ve always had my back.”

“I always will, but I want more. I have for months. I even tried to tell you, but my timing was bad and I know you are seeing Boyd and I don’t want to get in the way of your happiness. Remember you asked though.” Nick said.

“I’m not.” Ellie replied quietly.

“You’re not what?” Nick asked.

“I’m not seeing Boyd. I never rescheduled the date you cancelled. It didn’t feel right, I haven’t dated anyone since then.” Ellie answered. 

Nick leaned forward and crashed his lips on hers. Ellie wrapped her arms around his neck and returned his kiss wholeheartedly. When the broke apart Nick rested his forehead on hers and spoke. “Just so we are clear, I’m in love with you. I don’t want there to be any misunderstanding here, and I don’t expect you to say it just because I did.” 

Ellie silenced him with another earth shattering kiss. When she pulled away she whispered, “I love you too.”

~fin

**Author's Note:**

> I had to write something after “She” aired. Not thrilled with the ending but I hope it’s enjoyable.


End file.
